Chicago House Simple basslines, driving four-on-the-floor percussion and textured keyboard lines are the basic elements of the original house sound. 1981 Farley Keith forms the Hot Mix 5, a collective of radio DJs on a mission: Farley, Mickey Oliver, Ralphie Rosario, Mario "Smokin'" Diaz and Scott Key (later to be replaced by Julian Perez, then Edward Crosby) give dance music a radio outlet in Chicago. They go on to play a crucial role in the development of the scene. 1982 Jesse Saunders starts mixing the early house records. 1983 Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles reign supreme on the turntables at the Powerplant and Warehouse respectively, with Farley Keith makin' noise at the Playhouse. 1985 Larry Sherman launches Trax Records, the label responsible for many of the early house classics by Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard and Frankie Knuckles. Later became infamous for consistently noisy pressings as well. * Rocky Jones and partners found DJ International, Chicago's other classic house label, original home to Joe Smooth, Fingers Inc. and Chip E, and the first purveyors of hip house. * The suicide of local club personality Jesse Valez works to unite the competing elements within the Chicago house scene. * Marshall Jefferson's "Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem)" becomes a benchmark track, crowning MJ the undisputed king of house. He works with producer Vince Lawrence on many of the early hits. * JM Silk's "Music Is The Key" becomes the first major Billboard house hit. * Larry Sherman and Rocky Jones meet at MIDEM and, with the help of promoter Louis Pitzle and the "Rappin Lawyer" JB Ross, sell acid house to the UK media by arranging for the British press to tour Chicago and report back to a trend-hungry London scene. 1986 Darryl Pandy's "Love Can't Turn Around" crosses over, exposing house music's Philly roots and legitimizing the sound. * Barney's, owned by Ray Barney, distributes many of the early Chicago labels like Westbrook, Dance Mania and Bright Star. * The Hot Mix 5 label shows the other side of early house - DJs makin' dope tracks on a dope label. * Master C&J, Adonis and Jamie Principal, among others, round out the Chi Town scene. * Liz Torres, one of house music's first divas, releases her first single, "Can't Get Enough". * Robert Owens, Larry Heard and Ron Wilson form the classic house group Fingers Inc., and originate DEEP HOUSE, a Chicago derivative that is much fuller in nature, tempered with strings and horns, with inspired male or female vocal performance, as defined by "Mystery Of Love" and "Can U Feel It". * Crossover hit "Jack Your Body" signals great things to come from Steve "Silk" Hurley. Vaughn Mason's bassline in "Jack The Groove" rocks the dancefloor. 1987 Ten City's "Devotion" and CeCe Rogers' "Someday" foreshadow house's future, further paying homage to its Philly roots. 1988 "Work It to The Bone" by LNR becomes a club anthem and gets picked up by Profile - for the first time, a small Chicago indie record gets picked up by a much bigger label. * Raze's "Break 4 Love" gets sexy on the dancefloor and clocks dollars. 1989 Jive Records invests in the Chicago sound by opening a studio. * Lil' Louis scores with the huge sleaze hit, "French Kiss". 1990 Mirage Enterprises distributes the best of the new Chicago labels: House'N Effect, Tempest, House Jam - Chicago's in the house and always has been! * ID Productions, soon to become a serious production and remixing force, forms with E-Smoove, Maurice Joshua and Steve Hurley. * Smash Records, backed by PolyGram bucks, legitimizes the contemporary Chicago sound with Cookie Watkins' "I'm Attracted To You". 1991 Larry Sherman returns with Sabre Records - nothing happens. * "Too Blind To See It" by Kym Sims marks the first true crossover for a Chicago-produced record. * Lidell Townsell, along with Martell, Silk E, Hula and K Fingers and the rest of Da Posse hit pay dirt with "Nu-Nu" on Clubhouse. 1992 Ron Hardy passes away. * Where's Marshall Jefferson? * Early Chicago house producer Mike "Hitman" Wilson scores big with Shawn Christopher's "Don't Lose the Magic". * Cajmere's "Brighter Days" becomes the biggest hit from Chicago's Clubhouse production team. * Chicago house folk heroes Ten City's long-awaited return is well worth the wait, with "My Piece Of Heaven" paving the way. After releasing the brilliant No House Big Enough LP, they're dropped by Atlantic. * Smash drops dance acts RIP, Cookie Watkins and D'Borah. * Original house purveyor Keith Nunnally is dropped by Giant. * Same fate for Lil' Louis after two #1 hit singles, "Club Lonely" and "Saved My Life". What's up???!! * Larry Heard releases the critically-acclaimed Introductions, but fairs poorly at retail. * Mirage releases the first of the very successful BlackTraxx EP series, which redefines and broadens the typical Chicago house track sound. 1993 Ten City are granted a new life on Columbia; first single is "Fantasy". * Chicago's most consistent production team, ID Productions, disbands: E-Smoove forms Focus Productions, Maurice and Georgie Porgie form Vibe Music, while Hurley launches Steve Silk Productions. * The production team of LNR returns with "Reachin'". * After megahit status with "Nu-Nu", Lidell Townsell & the MTF are dropped by Mercury. A comeback is planned on Clubhouse, which starts two new labels, Afrythmix and Disco Divas. * Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, Marshall Jefferson, Chip E and Adonis form Godfather's Inc., shopping an album of all-new material. 1994 Ten City's long-awaited LP arrives. Well. Unfortunately for Ten City, that was then, this is now. * Is it all over her face? Certainly not! Dajae and the Cajual posse show limitless potential with hits such as "U Got Me Up" and "Is It all Over My Face", culminating with Higher Power, her full length album. * Chicago's premier house label, Vibe Music, does it all this year, removing, hopefully once and for all, the unjust stigma of shadiness and second-rate standards often associated with Chicago house. Believe dat. * Great house blowing in from the Windy City these days. There's no doubt that Chicago is stronger than ever, with solid labels like Music Box, Strictly Hype, Large and Afrythmix leading the way. Meanwhile, Lazy Boy Records (Musical Expression and House of Jazz) merges with Mirage Entertainment. |